Prisoners Wives (sic)

Is it just me or does the lack of an apostrophe annoy anyone else? It must be really confusing for kids. I wonder if this is the thin end of a rather large wedge that's slowly but surely eroding our language.
On a positive, the series is pretty good!

You are kidding? Do you think they care? Do you think anyone cares apart from a few pedants?
Is the meaning of the title lost by the lack of apostrophe? I dont think so, so what is the point of it?

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Sadly I'm realising that this may be the case. I believed until very recently that it was teachers' jobs to teach correct spelling, grammar and punctuation, but apart from myself and one of our office staff, nobody in my school seems to care at all, even to the extent of sending out school newsletters and allowing notices to remain with blatant errors in them.

The apostrophe, although a fairly recent invention, is an essential device which indicates meaning and possession. To dismiss it is a mistake. Because children might ignore its importance doesn't mean we have to.
The school in which I work teaches the importance of the apostrophe and expects all pupils to be able to use it correctly. However, three quarters of the staff are unable to use it correctly, including the Headteacher; and the quality and integrity of written grammar, spelling and punctuation shown by the teachers is appalling.

The apostrophe, although a fairly recent invention, is an essential device which indicates meaning and possession. To dismiss it is a mistake.

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My view is that when it is required, there is a place for the apostrophe. But a lot of the time, if not most of the time it is not needed. The meaning is perfectly clear without it. If the meaning is ambiguous then use it by all means is my view.
This especially goes for contractions, why is it needed.
Prisoners Wives - everyone knows what it means, there is no need for an apostrophe.

Highschooler, I have been a HLTA in a primary school for the last three years. Of course I teach the correct use of the apostrophe. That is what is required of me. I also help the children learn no other end of useless nonsense that it required by the National Curriculum. Thats (see what I mean) my job.

Its the teachers job too.

Now dont tell me you dont understand the last three sentences because of the lack of apostrophes.

The apostrophe, although a fairly recent invention, is an essential device which indicates meaning and possession. To dismiss it is a mistake.

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My view is that when it is required, there is a place for the apostrophe. But a lot of the time, if not most of the time it is not needed. The meaning is perfectly clear without it. If the meaning is ambiguous then use it by all means is my view. This especially goes for contractions, why is it needed. Prisoners Wives - everyone knows what it means, there is no need for an apostrophe. Highschooler, I have been a HLTA in a primary school for the last three years. Of course I teach the correct use of the apostrophe. That is what is required of me. I also help the children learn no other end of useless nonsense that it required by the National Curriculum. Thats (see what I mean) my job. Its the teachers job too. Now dont tell me you dont understand the last three sentences because of the lack of apostrophes.

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Is that the job of one teacher or all teachers?
Yes, in most cases we can understand most of it but the same could said for text speak - does that make it correct?
And as for Prisoners Wives, as a bald phrase it could be interpreted in at least 3 ways:

One (bigamous ) prisoner has several wives (Prisoner's Wives)

Wives of prisoners (Prisoners' Wives) Presumably what the intended meaning.

Wives who are themselves prisoners (Prisoners: Wives) I know this a bit tenuous but how do we know that a colon wasn't omitted for some reason?

Then why (if it was about the wives of more than one prisoner) is it not called The Wives of Prisoners?
The correct use of the apostrophe avoids ambiguity - why not use it? Why dismiss it by saying it doesn't matter, when you admit there are cases when it does?

The correct use of the apostrophe avoids ambiguity - why not use it? Why dismiss it by saying it doesn't matter, when you admit there are cases when it does?

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The correct use of the apostrophe does avoid ambiguity, that is true. It is just that personally I would like to see the 'correct' use changed from what we have now to only using it where some ambiguity could occur. That is to use it when it is needed.